AFTER scoring his 50th Premier League goal, Kevin Nolan hopes his days of surprising the likes of Alan Pardew are far from over, but has given up hope of winning over Fabio Capello.

The Merseyside midfielder’s 11th goal this season, in Newcastle United’s 1-1 draw with Bolton Wanderers, put him in exalted company, yet in one important respect he is the odd man out.

Nolan is the only English midfielder on the 50-goal list never to have represented his country.

Manager Pardew gave an insight as to why that is. “He is better than I thought he was,” he said.

“Technically he is more accomplished than I gave him credit for. Maybe that’s because of Bolton’s style when he was there.”

Pardew was probably not alone in that view but Nolan highlighted how ridiculous it is.

“A lot of people forget Bolton were a very good side when I was there,” he stressed. “I played with Youri Djorkaeff, Fernando Hierro, Ivan Campo, Jay-Jay Okocha, and with their technical ability we are talking about top-end players who have played at the highest level.

“I learned from them as much as I could. El-Hadji Diouf won African Footballer of the Year, I have not played with many slouches.

“When a lot of people walk into a club they probably don’t see I am a half-decent player. Once they see me playing alongside them they realise I’m not that bad.

“Last year we dropped into the Championship and lots of people thought I was finished. I proved I was good enough for that league and I have come back this year.

“I have got the bit between my teeth. Hopefully for the next couple of years I can prove myself to a few people.” But despite joking “it’s amazing I haven’t got an England cap, isn’t it?” the 28-year-old is resigned to his fate.

“England has gone,” he said bluntly. “If there was ever a chance it was when (Steven) Gerrard and (Frank) Lampard and people like that were injured. It is just one of those things. I have just got to get on with it.

“To be honest, it is quite nice when the international games come along to put my feet up and prepare for the next Newcastle game. Spending a bit of time with my family is nice too.

“England have got some talented individuals coming through now, like (Jack) Wilshere. Hopefully they will make things better for England. I still support them. The possibility of playing for Ireland has been brought up a number of times but unfortunately my grandad and my nans are only a quarter Irish, or half Irish, and they need to be fully Irish!

“I did try and cheat like (Tony) Cascarino by going over and having 14 Guinesses!” Lampard (131 Premier League goals) and Gerrard (84) lead the way among current England midfielders.

“He is as important to us as those players are for their teams,” Pardew argued. “He has a knack of getting a goal.

“He just pops up and scores – all types of goals – which is unusual for a central midfield player.

“He is technically sound in everything he does.

“He sets the right example as captain on and off the pitch. His behaviour in the Andy Carroll situation, when Andy was perhaps losing his way a bit, was important. Things like that make him a great leader. He keeps an even keel. The signing of Cheick (Tioté on a new six-and-a-half-year contract) is a boost for Kev, he has good energy and gives Kevin the licence to get in the box.”